Gun-carriage.



PATENTED OCT. 17, 1905 3 SHBETS-SHEET 1.

w s ISHAM GUN CARRIAGE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 17 1902.

lllllllllllllllllllllllliilillillilll.

[NI/EN 70/0 .4 #0 may PATENTED OUT. 17, 1905. S ISHAM CARRIAGE.

5 M ham w Mar GUN APPL

PATENTED OCT. 17, 1905.

W. S. ISHAM. GUN CARRIAGE.

APPLICATION FILED D2017, 1902.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

W/ TN 5559 f/VI EN'IOR @M a (446M Y M ANIJREW. B cmnm co.mom-Lvmuommzns, wasnwaron, b c,

WVILLARD S. ISHAM, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

GUN-CARRIAGE- Specification of Letters Patent.

?atentecl Oct. 17, 1905.

Application filed December 17, 1902. Qerial No. 135,574.

To rtZZ whom, in 1nd, concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLARD SMITH IsHAM, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at li ashington, in the District of Columbia, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Gun-Carriages; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in gun carriages, and in particularto recoil mechanism for mobile gunssuch,' for example, as field andsiege guns.

The object of my invention is to provide a construction for mobile gunswhich will prevent the gun from jumping, will allow'it to have but ashort recoil, and during its recoil and return to the original positionwill maintain the gun in its alinement to an extent sufficient to avoidaffecting the intended flight of the projectile, these advantages beingattained with a minimum weight of gun and carriage and a minimum lengthof trail.

With this general object in view, and some others which will be obviousto those skilled in the art from the description hereinafter, myinvention, broadly considered, consists in the features, details ofconstruction, and combination of parts, which will first be described inconnection with the accompanying drawings in specific embodiments, thenexplained in a generalized manner, and finally pointed out in theclaims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of structureembodying my invention; Fig. 2, afront elevation, partly in section, ofthe same; Fig. 3, a detail sectional view, partly in elevation, of therecoil device and spade; Fig. 4, a detail transverse section of the twomembers of the recoil device; Fig. 5, a detail section on the line 5 5of Fig. 1; Fig. 6, an enlarged detail view of the recoil device; Fig. 7,an enlarged end view of the piston; 8, a detail plan view of a spade anda part of the spade-holder; Fig. 9, a side elevation of anothermodification of my invention; Figs. 10 and 11, detail sections on thelines 10 and 11, respectively, of Fig. 12; and Fig. 12, a detailsectional view, partly in elevation, of the recoil device employed withsaid modification.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 8 of the drawings, A is a gun of any usual ordesired construction provided with trunnions 66, mounted on a trail B,whose lower end, as usual, forms the rear bearing of the carriage. Thistrail is carried by the axle C and wheels D. Any suitable elevatingmechanism may be employed as, for example, an elevating-screw andhand-wheel, (indicated at To the trail B at a suitable distance aboveits lower end are attached two ears 6, between which is pivoted a lug f,formed on the end of a rear member F of a recoil device, this rearmember having two inward-extending flanges, as shown at f, Fig. 4,whereby a substantially dovetailed guideway or groove is formed in saidrear member, into which guid sway extends a dovetailed guiding-rib on ahollow cylinder F, provided at one end with a removable head f which maybe packed in any suitable way, as shown, said head being threaded intothe open end of said cylinder and provided with an axial opening throughwhich passes a piston-rod f whose inner end is attached to a piston fmovable in the cylinder, while its outer end is attached to an arm fprojecting downward from the rear end of the rear member F of the recoildevice, the said attachment being made, preferably, by inserting thepiston-rod through an opening in said arm f and providing said rod witha nut f outside the arm.

Inside the cylinder is located a helical spring 7, surroundin the)iston-rod and hearin at c b b one end on the piston f and at the otherend on the cylinder-head f.

The cylinder is preferably arranged to contain a fluid serving to delaythe rearward movement of the piston in awell-known manner, and in thiscase the construction is as follows: The piston f is provided with aperipheral groove, as shown in Fig. 6, in which groove is located apacking-ring f, entirely encircling the piston, formed of flexiblematerial, such as rubber, folded upon itself, the line of fold beingplaced toward the front of the piston. The space between the folds ismade accessible to the fluid at the rear of the piston by providing thepiston with holes ff, arranged longitudinally, the purpose of which isto keep the packing tight. The piston is also provided with a'bore oropening f, accessible to the fluid in the cylinder at the rear of thepiston through the passages or parts f which extend in a substantiallyradial direction from the bore or opening f, the latter being preferablyarranged substantially at the axis of the piston, but in any case so asto be wholly encircled by the packing-ring f. To the front end of thecylinder and inside the same is secured one end of a throttling-rod f,which projects through the bore or opening and also extends somedistance into the pistonrod, which is made tubular for a portion ofitsllength in order to receive said throttlingroc.

The piston is provided with a bushing f around the throttling-rod, asshown in Fig. 6, and this bushing has its forward face formed as avalve-seat arranged to cooperate with a valve f movably mounted on thethrottlingrod and pressed rearward to a certain extent by a spring f,the rearward movement of said valve being limited by the spring itself,which has one end riveted to the valve and the other secured to thethrottling-bar by a nutf".

The throttling-bar serves to limit the How of fluid through thepiston-opening from one side of the piston to the other and is sodimensioned that it will tend to maintain a substantially uniformpressure of the fluid in the cylinder during the recoil of the gun,being slightly larger in diameter at its rear end than at a point justrearward of the extreme rear position of the valve, tapering uniformlybetween these points.

To the front of the cylinder or forward member of the recoil device isattached a spadeholder (Jr, preferably made integral with the cylinderand so arranged as to present a minimum obstruction to the upwardmovement of the earth, this being attained, at the same time with thenecessary strength, preferably by making the spade-holdernarrow anddeep. The forward end of this spade-holder G is preferably formed asshown in Fig. 3 and is provided with a slot g extending substantially ina vertical direction and also has a pair of ears g extending outward, asshown, one on each side of the bodyof the spade-holding device. Theseare preferably slightly beveled, as shown.

To the spade-holder is movably connected a spade H, provided with twolugs 7L, between which the spade is apertured, as shown in Fig. 2, intowhich aperture the end of the spadeholder extends, a pivot-pin it beingpassed through the lugs and through the slot 9 in the spade-holder. Thelugs it of the spade are provided with notches arranged to receive theears g of the spade-holder, whereby the spade is locked securely at afixed angle relative to the spade-holder and yet is collapsible withrelation thereto. Owing to the slot g in the said spadeholder the spadehas a limited amount of movement relative to said spadeholder, so thatas the latter is moved upward, as hereinafter described, the notches inthe spade will be freed from the ears g, and the spade will then becapable of angular movement about the pivot-pin it. The upper part ofthe spade is provided with a nose if, and to the carriage is secured atripping device 1, arranged to engage said nose when the spade is movedupward, as hereinafter described, and thereby swing said spade angularlywith relation to the spade-holder, thereby folding the spade rearwardand upward closely against the under side of the spade-holder. The spadepreferably has its front surface formed somewhat convex in a horizontaldirection from a line just below the lugs /t to the top edge, and thelower end is turned rearward to a slight extent for a purpose fullydescribed hereinafter. (See Figs. 8 and 9.)

To the rear member F of the recoil device is connected a segment K,toothed on its rear face and arranged to mesh with a pinion 2;, fixedupon a pinion-shaft k, journaled in the trail and provided outside thesame with a crank k and with a square-toothed ratchetwheel fir", engagedby a suitable locking device such, for example, the pawl L.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The pawl L being turnedback out of engagement, the pinion I: may be rotated by the crankwhereby the recoil device and its attached parts may be moved about itspivotal connection to the trail, swinging from its folded position(indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1) to a position near the ground, asin' dicated in full lines in said figure. The mechanism may be held atany desired position by turning the pawl L into engagement with theratchet-wheel 70 which, it is to be noted, locks the apparatus againstmovement either np ward ordownward. Duringtransitthemechanism isintended to be in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. To plantthe gun in position for firing, the pawl L is released and the crankturned, so as to lower the recoil mechanism, whereby the spade isreleased from the tripping device I and allowed to swing by its weightinto such a position that the notches in the lugs it will be oppositethe ears g on the spade-holder. As soon as the point of the spadestrikes the ground the further downward movement of the spade will bechecked for an instant, while the spadeholder will continue to movedownward,owing to its slotted connection with the spade, whereby theears will enter the notches in the lugs h, thus locking the spadeatafixed angle with relation to the spade-holder. At this time thepivot-pin lb comes into contact with the up per end of the slot,whereupon the spade is compelled to partake in the continued downwardmovement of the spade-holder, and by the application of suflicient powerto the crank if the spade is forced into the ground. This initialplanting of the spade prior to the firing of the gun is a distinguishingfeature of my invention. Upon the firing of the gun the forward member Fof the recoil device is held by the spade, except to the slight extentto which the spade drifts rearward in the ground, depending, of course,upon the condition of the ground at the place of anchorage. The rearmember F of the recoil mechanism moves backward with the gun-carriage,pulling with it the piston-rod f and piston f thereby compressing thespring f this movement of the rear member being resisted by the springand delayed by the fluid in the cylinder, which is forced to flowthrough the passages f and bore or opening f in the piston, this flowbeing restricted for the reason that the throttling-rod nearly fills thesaid bore, which restricted flow results in a yielding pressure beingexerted upon the piston in opposition to its movement to the rear.

Owing to the fact that the throttling-rod is smaller in diameter nearits front end than at its rear end, the area for the escape of the fluidaround the throttling-rod is greater at the beginning of the rearwardmovement than near the end of said movement, and as the energy of recoilis greater at the beginning than near the end of the recoil asubstantially uniform pressure of the fluid at the rear of the piston isobtained.

lt is to be noted that although the valve 7 rests against its seat onthe bushing f it cannot stop the flow of fluid to the front of thepiston, because the pressure will open the valve against the action ofits spring. After the piston has traveled a short distance to the rearit is out of contact with said valve, which can only follow the movementof the piston for a short distance.

l/Vhen the energy of recoil has been completely absorbed and thecarriage is brought to rest, the spring f forces the piston forwardagain, the fluid then passing from in front of the piston to the rear ofthe same, through the annular space between the throttling-rod and thewalls of the bore or openingf, and through the passages f As the forwardmovement of the piston, and with it the gun and carriage, continues acertain momentum is gained, and it is the function of the valve f toprevent the shock which would otherwise result from the sudden ar restof the forward movement of the carriage. This obtains from the fact thatwhen the piston has arrived near the end of its forward movement thevalve will become seated on the bushing f, and thus still furtherrestrict the flow of fluid, which can only pass from the front of thepiston to its rear by way of the restricted space between the valve andthe throttling-rod, the valve being provided with a central openingslightly larger than the throttling-rod in order that this action mayoccur.

The spring f behind the valve allows the valve to retain its seat andyet travel forward under the action of the piston.

The action of the spade is as follows: When the force of the recoil istransmitted to the spade, the latter, owing to the angle which it makeswith the line of recoil, tends to lift the earth at the rear of it andalso tends to compress the said earth. Owing to this compression andlifting of the earth, the reaction of the said earth produces a downwardresultant on the spade, while so much of the earth as is crowded up intocontact with the under surface of the spade-holder produces an upwardresultant tending to lift the spade from the ground; but since in mydevice the spadeholder is arranged to produce but a slight obstructionto the upward movement of the earth the upward resultant developed issmall compared to the downward resultant produced by the spade, and thealgebraic sum of the two resultants is a force downward which issuflicient to hold the spade firmly in the ground notwithstanding thedrift of the spade through the ground.

By making the upper portion of the spade with a slight convexity, ashereinbefore described, the earth as it is driven up by the lower partof the spade tends to crack or separate at the center of the upperportion of the spade, and thereby passes off to the right and left ofthe spade-holder, rising clear of the said spade and falling over thetop of the spade at each side of the spade-holder. Furthermore, theconvex upper portion of the spade tends to compress the earth in radialdirections to the rear of the spade, and thereby shown differs from theconstruction previously described in three particulars: first, in havingthe forward member of the recoil device extended rearward to form atrack upon which slides the lower end of the trail; second, in having atoggle device for raising and lowering the recoil mechanism, and, third,in hav ing a spring-controlled latch device for holding the spade in itsoperative position. In this construction the recoil-cylinder f isattached by bolts 7 to two I-beams F whose in ward-extending top flangesF" enter grooves in the sides ofthe rear member, as shown in Fig. 10,whereby the said rear member is guided by the frontmember. The rearmemher is provided with two downward-extending lugs f which projectbetween the two I-beams, while between the said lugs is inserted thelower end of the trail, which is bifurcated, as shown at f the end ofthe piston-rod being formed with an eye f inserted in the forked end ofthe trail, the said pistonrod, the-trail, and the two lugs on the rearmember being pivotally connected by a pivot-pin f. The rear ends of theI-beams are connected by a lunettey which allows the carriage to beconnected to a limber in the same manner as is the trail of an ordinarygun carriage. The mechanism for raising and loweringthe recoil mechanismin this construction comprises a pair of toggle-arms K Ki the lower onebeing pivoted at its lower end to the rear member F while the upper endof the tog gle-arms is pivoted to the trail. The two toggle-arms arepivoted at their meeting ends, and the lower toggle-arm is provided witha stop device consisting of an extension-piece it, which comes intocontact with the front face of the upper toggle-arm and prevents thetoggle-arms from passing a central position. The drawing Fig. 9 showsthe toggle at its extreme rear position. The upper end of the lowertoggle-arm is provided with an ear f. to which is connected one end of achain K, which passes over a chain-wheel c, mounted on a shaft F,operated by a crank Zr, the shaft being also provided with a squaretoothed ratchet-wheel Z2", engaged by a pawl L. The other end of thechain K is connected to an ear on the rear member of the recoil device,as shown in Fig. 9. The spade is held at the desired angle relative tothe spade-holder G by a latch M, pivoted to the top of the spade andarranged to engage a notch in the top of the spadeholder, as shown inFig. 9, the said latch M being acted upon by a spring m. In thisconstruction a tripping device I is supplied on the under side of thecarriage, as in the construction hereinbefore described in connectionwith Figs. 1 to 8, said tripping device being arranged to trip the latchM and then swing the spade into its folded position. The operation ofthis mechanism will be obvious from the description hereinbefore givenof the operation of the mechanism shown in Figs. 1 to 8.

In the practical construction and use of modern high-power mobile guns,such as field and siege guns, one of the most essential actions to beconsidered is the jumping of the gun, because of the effect such jumphas upon the flight of the projectile which causes said jump andbecause, furthermore, of the effect said jump has in disturbing thelocation of the carriage for subsequent shots.

By my invention I avoid all jumping of the gun, while at the same timeavoiding any unnecessary weight upon the forward bearing of the carriageor any reduction in the height of the gun above the ground or anyincrease in the length of the trail such as would interfere with therapid maneuvering of the gun, this being accomplished by reason of thefact that a part of the recoil of the gun is converted into a downwardresultant, which is applied to the carriage to counteract the upwardresultant which would otherwise tend to make the gun jump.

My invention, broadly considered, is distinguished from prior attemptsin that the spade is so constructed and attached that the force appliedto it causes a downward resultant in the spade capable of application tothe carriage to hold it from jumpin In my construction the spade islocated at an angle to the line of recoil of the carriage substantiallyequal to a right angle minus the angle of friction of the material,whereby I insure the slipping of the material along the face of thespade and avoid its slipping on itself along any other line, while atthe same time enabling it to offer the maximum resistance to beingpulled through the ground by the recoil of the gun.

It is evident that if the material has atendency to slide along the faceof the spade it will be forced upward, and if this upward tendency isnot obstructed a downward resultant is produced on the spade; but ifthis tendency of the earth to move upward is obstructed-as, for example,by horizontal surfaces located near the top of the spade -then insteadof a downward resultant an upward resultant is obtained, because thematerial will compress between the spade and such horizontal surface anda new line of slip will be formed in the material itself, forming anincline plane sloping in an opposite direction to the spade. up whichthe spade, its attached parts, and the material held therein will bedrawn by the recoil of the carriage, reacting downward upon the groundin an opposite manner to that resulting with my device and not onlyfailing in the attainment of the object sought, but where the spade isrigidly connected to the carriage actually increasing the jump of thegun.

Other important features of my invention are, first, that the spade maybe located intermediate the two wheels and substantially underneath theaxle, whereby the direction of the gun may be changed readily by movingthe trail without altering the position of the spade relative to thecarriage and without withdrawing the same from the ground.

Second. The attachment of the spade to the carriage is such as to form aguiding device whereby the carriage recoils and returns in the same lineand at the end of the return is prevented from running ahead unduly,while also the said attachment obviates lateral movement of the frontend of the carriage when operating on ground having an inclinationlateral with relation to the recoil of the carriage.

Third. By the construction employed by me the spade may be positivelyforced into the ground initially-*that is to say, prior to firing-a1idalso may be positively withdrawn from the grounda matter of greatimportance in the use of such guns. as will be obvious to those skilledin the art.

Fourth. The location of the recoil device is such as to utilize theentire weight of the gun and carriage in overcoming the momentum ofrecoil, thereby producing a minimum distance of recoil. At the same timethe recoil device is in the position of least exposure, While ifdestroyed or rendered inoperative it may be disconnected readily and thecarriage still remain efiicient for moderate speed of firing.

Fifth. Owing to the fact that the means for raising and lowering thespade are connected to the rear member of the recoil device, said meanspartake of the movement of the carriage, and thereby form a truss withthe said rear member and the trail, thus enabling it to support thecarriage in case of accident to the wheels.

Sixth. The spade may be inserted into the ground more or less, accordingto the nature of the ground and as may be required to hold the gun and,furthermore, may be locked in any position to which it is adjusted.

Seventh. The runner on the end of the trail prevents lateraldisplacement of the same, and thus causes the trail to move backward andforward in a straight line parallel to the direction of recoil, thusassisting in insuring the return of the gun to its prior position.

Eighth. Owing to the fact that the spade in my preferred form ofconstruction is located just slightly in front of the center of gravityof the gun and carriage and is connected with the carriage by meanswhich may serve as a compressive member, the spade is capable ofsustaining that part of the weight of the gun and carriage ordinarilyborne by the wheels. Hence if these or either of them be shot away thisdevice will sustain the carriage and permit the continued operation ofthe gun. To assist in this, it may be advisable under some circumstancesto supply wings or legs to increase the width of the base of support,preferably by supplying the spade with such wings so located as not toobstruct the upward movement of the earth, for which reason said wingsare most advantageously located at the front of the spade, as indicatedin dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 8.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a gun-carriage, a gun mounted thereon, and aspade engaging the ground forward of the rear bearing-point of thecarriage and making a permanent angle with the direction of recoil ofthe carriage not greater than a right angle minus the angle of frictionbetweep the ground and the holding-face of the spade, the spade beingconstructed to permit an unobstructed flow of the earth up itsholding-face, whereby a downward resultant is produced during the recoilof the gun, of a recoil device connected to the spade and connected tothe carriage forward of the rear bearing-point of the same.

2. The combination, with a mobile gun-carriage, and a gun mountedthereon, of a spade movement of the material pressing against the spadeand to maintain a fixed angle relative to the line of recoil of thecarriage, and a recoil device intermediate said spade and the carriage.

3. The combination, with a mobile gun-carriage, and a gun mountedthereon, of a recoil device pivotally connected to the carriage at apoint intermediate the axle and the rear bearing of the carriage, and aspade carried by the said recoil device.

4. The combination, with a mobile gun-carriage, and a gun mountedthereon, of a recoil device pivotally connected to the carriage at apoint intermediate the axle and the rear bearing of the carriage, and aspade attached to said recoil device and, when in the ground, making afixed angle with said recoil device.

5. The combination, with a mobile gun-carriage, and a gun mountedthereon, of a recoil device pivotall y connected to the carriage at apoint intermediate the axle and the rear bearing of the carriage, and aspade pivoted to said recoil device.

6. The combination, with a mobile gun-carriage, and a gun mountedthereon, of a spade, and a recoil device connected to the carriageintermediate the axle and the rear bearing of the carriage, said recoildevice being connected to the spade and arranged to form a compressivemember intermediate its point of connection to the carriage and thespade, when the carriage has returned to its original position.

7. The combination, with a mobile gun-carriage, and a gun mountedthereon, of aspade located in front of the rear bearing of the carriage,and a recoil device intermediate the spade and the carriage andarranged, when in its normal position to act as a compressive memberagainst a forward movement of the carriage.

8. The combination, with amobile gun-carriage, and a gun mountedthereon, of a spade located in front of the rear bearing of thecarriage, and a recoil device intermediate the spade and the carriage,and arranged, when in its normal position, to act as a rigid compressivemember against a forward movement of the carriage.

9. The combination, with a mobile gun-carriage, and a gun mountedthereon, of a spade located in front of the rearbearing of the carriage,and a recoil device intermediate the spade and the carriage andarranged, when in its normal position, to act asa rigid compressivemember against a forward movement of the carriage and as a tensilemember against a rearward movement of the carriage.

10. The combination, with a mobile guncarriage, and a gun mountedthereon, of a spade located in front of the rear bearing of the carriageand a recoil device intermediate the spade and the carriage andarranged, when in its normal position, to act as a compressive IIO.nember against a forward movement of the carriage and as a yieldingtensile member against a rearward movement of the carriage 11. Thecombination, with a mobile guncarriage, and a gun mounted thereon, of aspade located in front of the rear bearing of the carriage and a recoildevice intermediate the spade and the carriage and arranged, when in itsnormal position, to act as a compressive member against a forwardmovement of the carriage and as an elastic tensile member against arearward movement of the carriage.

12. The combination, with a mobile guncarriage and a gun mountedthereon, of a spade arranged to enter the ground at apoint not back ofthe center of gravity of the gun and carriage and having such an angleto the line of recoil and such an unobstructed space above it that itwill produce a downward resultant, and a connection between said spadeand carriage independent of the Wheels and arranged to maintain fixedvertical distances between the carriage, spade and the ground, and arecoil device intermediate said spade and carriage.

13. The combination, with a mobile guncarriage, and a gun mountedthereon, of a spade arranged to enter the ground forward of the rearbearing of the carriage, and a longitudinally-movable, vertically-rigidconnection between said spade and carriage.

14. The combination, with a mobile guncarriage, and a gun mountedthereon, of a spade arranged to enter the ground forward of the rearbearing of the carriage, and a longitudinally-movable, laterally andvertically rigid connection between said spade and carriage.

15. The combination, with a gun-carriage, a gun mounted thereon, and aspade arranged to enter the ground, of means for connecting said spadeto the carriage, the spade being movably connected to said means, alocking device arranged to hold the spade in fixed relation to saidmeans, and automatic mechanism carried by the carriage and arranged torelease said locking device and move the spade with relation to saidconnecting means.

16. The combination, with a gun-carriage, a gun mounted thereon, and aspade, of means for connecting said spade to the carriage, said meansbeing movably attached to said carriage, the spade being movablyconnected to said connecting means, a locking device arranged to holdsaid spade in fixed relation to said connecting means, mechanism carriedby the carriage and arranged to release said locking device, andmechanism for raising the connecting means and spade.

17. The combination, with a gun-carriage, a gun mounted thereon, and aspade, of means for connecting said spade to the carriage, said meansbeing movably attached to said carriage, the spade being movablyconnected to said connecting means, a locking device arranged to holdthe spade in fixed relation to said connecting means, mechanism carriedby the carriage and arranged to release said locking device, andmechanism for forcing said connecting means and spade downward wherebythe spade is positively driven into the ground.

18. The combination, with a gun-carriage, a gun mounted thereon, and aspade, of means for connecting said spade to the carriage, said meansbeing movably attached to said carriage, the spade being movablyconnected to said connecting means, a locking device arranged to holdsaid spade in fixed relation to said connecting means, mechanism carriedby the carriage and arranged to release said locking device, mechanismfor raising the connecting means and spade, and locking mechanism forholding said connecting means at any point to which it may be raised.

19. The combination, with a spade arranged to be forced downward by therecoil of the gun, of separated wings located forward of the rear faceof the spade and arranged to limit the downward movement of said spade.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLARD S. ISHAM.

Witnesses:

M. C. MAssIE, ALBANUs S. T. JoHNsoN.

